NFL Player News

The Browns didn’t have a choice after what can only be described as a dumpster fire of a 2019. Promoted from RBs coach obscurity to offensive coordinator midway through 2018, Kitchens helped interim coach Gregg Williams guide the long-suffering Browns to a 5-3 finish. By nearly every account, Kitchens did an excellent job mentoring Baker Mayfield and sparking the Browns’ moribund offense. Promoted to head coach over Williams, Kitchens’ progress did not carry over, with the 45-year-old rookie appearing overwhelmed from the jump, struggling with play-calling and leadership in equal measure. By the end of the season, he had publicly feuded with many players, failing to elicit votes of confidence. Taking a chance on Kitchens was an admirable, unconventional gamble, but it resulted in unmitigated disaster. Expect the Browns to search for a steady hand a la Mike McCarthy, or perhaps a Mayfield whisperer like Oklahoma’s Lincoln Riley.

The full report can be found at the link provided at the end of the blurb, but the details are quite disturbing. Arresting officer Steven Pohorence reported that the victim of Judkins’ alleged assault reported the incident the day after it occurred, alleging Judkins “punched her in the mouth/chin area with a closed fist” while adding he later struck her in the arm and thigh. The victim also showed pictures of her chin/lip area, with officer Pohorence noting in the report “the bruising was clearly evident.” Bruises could also be found on her arm and thigh. This situation is far from resolved and could have a direct impact on Judkins’ availability for training camp as he remains unsigned at this time.

This comes after it was announced that Jennings was seeking either a new contract or a trade before the start of this season. Jennings reporting to camp is good in theory, but as Barrows also points out, last year’s Brandon Aiyuk situation showed a player reporting to camp while in a contract dispute can be anything but beneficial. In recent years, players have resorted to “hold-ins” during camp to avoid fines for not reporting, which could be Jennings’ approach when he does report next week. We’ll likely get a better sense of where things are headed with this situation as camp draws nearer.

It’s odd that this would come out a week before training camp rather than earlier in the offseason, but Jennings’ desire for a new deal is warranted. The sixth-year receiver is coming off a breakout season in which he caught 77 passes for 975 yards and six touchdowns — all career-highs, and is expected to play a significant role this season. The 49ers extended Jennings’ contract last season, but he’s set to earn just $7.5 million in the final year of his deal, which is well-below what a player of his caliber should be earning. With Brandon Aiyuk (knee) a likely PUP candidate and Ricky Pearsall entering the season with much to prove, it goes without saying that Jennings is the best available receiver on the 49ers right now, which could spur the team to get a new deal done. That said, we’ve seen the Niners drag out contract discussions before, and wouldn’t expect anything immediate as this story continues to develop.

Cowing boasts 4.3 speed and reportedly added weight in the offseason after weighing in at 168 pounds as a rookie. With Samuel now in Washington and Aiyuk (knee) a candidate to open the season on the PUP list, it’s easy to see an early path for Cowing to earn more opportunities this season. Last year’s first-rounder, Ricky Pearsall, is also expected to see an uptick in targets and Jauan Jennings is coming off a breakout season (77-975-6), but Cowing makes for an interesting late-round target in deeper leagues given the current state of the Niners’ receiving room. Cowing caught 316 passes for 4,477 yards and 33 touchdowns during five college seasons while averaging a solid 6.3 yards after the catch per reception.

In addition to his belief that the Jets could lead the league in rush attempts, Rosenblatt also adds that Braelon Allen will “have plenty of opportunities” to make an impact this season as Breece Hall enters the final year of his rookie deal. Allen was selected 134th overall last season and finished his rookie year with 92 carries for 334 yards and two touchdowns while averaging 3.6 YPC. According to Rosenblatt, head coach Aaron Glenn and offensive coordinator Tanner Engstrand are hoping to model their offense after the one Ben Johnson ran in Detroit, with Breece Hall playing the “Jahmyr Gibbs role” and Allen playing the “David Montgomery role.” Should this come to fruition, Allen could have tons of late-round fantasy value for those willing to take shots on him.

Rodrigue believes that the two sides’ continued contract talk “is a good sign” for an early extension. Williams’ overall productivity works in his favor. Rodrigue notes that training camp is the usual timeline for such deals under this era of Rams leadership, giving fantasy managers an expected timeline to follow. The two sides have been negotiating all offseason.

The Patriots’ first training camp practice is scheduled for July 23rd. This report fails to provide clarity on Tavai’s expected participation status, though ESPN’s Mike Reiss does list LBs Christian Elliss and Jack Gibbens as Tavai’s “projected top competition” for the No. 2 inside linebacker job. Free agent signee, LB Robert Spillane, is locked into the No. 1 spot.

Howell came under scrutiny after it was revealed last week that he worked part-time as a paid consultant for The Carlyle Group, which is a private equity firm. On Sunday, the NFLPA released a statement that it rejects “attempts to mischaracterize the committee’s views or divide membership” regarding this news, while adding any reports of the NFLPA calling for Howell to step down are false. It would appear Howell, who was appointed to his position in 2023, will remain in his role for the upcoming season.

The rookie second-rounder remained in police custody overnight and is scheduled to have an initial hearing on Sunday. As ProFootballTalk’s Mike Florio points out, Judkins is sure to face scrutiny from the NFL under the league’s Personal Conduct Policy, while Florio also notes that “the baseline punishment for a battery is six games,” which can vary based on other factors. Judkins has not yet signed his rookie deal, and will likely take less guaranteed money than he hoped for following his arrest, which could cause a trickle-down effect for the 29 other rookie second-rounders who have yet to sign their deal. Judkins was expected to compete for the Browns’ RB1 spot in training camp, and while he will still get a chance to do so, fantasy managers should remain open to the possibility of a suspension being handed down at some point this season. Jerome Ford and rookie Dylan Sampson would both see slight boosts to their fantasy stocks if Judkins were to miss any time.

Judkins was booked on Saturday and remains in custody as of this evening. ESPN’s Daniel Oyefusi reports Judkins’ initial court appearance will come Sunday morning. The Browns have said they are “aware and gathering more details.” Judkins’ arrest comes on the eve of training camp, and gets his professional career off to the worst possible start. A lengthy stay on the commissioner’s exempt list would be all but guaranteed if the charges stick. A suspension would then follow if he were convicted or admitted guilt. The situation should be updated on Sunday.